“I Want to Expand Email Marketing Reach. Should I Buy an Email List?”

I receive this question from business owners quite a bit. I get it— you want to expand your reach, connect with potential customers, grow your following, etc.

However, when it comes to purchasing email lists, my answer is, and always will be, a hard, “No”.

From a digital marketing expert’s perspective, a business owner who wants to buy an email list is a business owner who’s been misinformed on the email metrics that actually matter. Not only is it unethical to purchase email lists from external sources, but you also risk compromising the integrity of your business when you do (and you’re wasting a ton of money!). Let’s take a look at three “red flag” reasons why you don’t need to – and shouldn’t – buy an email list…

Red Flag Reason #1: It Compromises Your Brand’s Integrity

Purchasing external email lists puts your credibility on the line. There’s no way to verify that the audience list you’re looking to buy isn’t filled with data that has been obtained illegally, and that’s a problem. Sending unsolicited emails qualifies you as a spammer. End of story.

What’s more, purchased lists often contain missing or inaccurate contact information, which means your carefully crafted emails will likely end up in an abandoned inbox (or will simply be ignored altogether). No business owner wants their content sent straight to someone’s junk mail inbox.

Red Flag Reason #2: You’ve Been Misinformed on The Email Metrics that Actually Matter

When I come across business owners who want to buy email lists, it tells me they’ve been misinformed about which email metrics actually matter.

What truly matters in email marketing is engagement. It’s better to have a smaller email list filled with audience members who genuinely want to engage with your content, than to have an extra-long list of contacts who won’t give your message a second glance. Focus on keeping your current list up-to-date with contact information your business has obtained first-hand.

I personally recommend sending a confirmation email as a follow-up for users who’ve just subscribed to receive your content. This way, your recipients can acknowledge that they know exactly what they’ve signed up for. Most major email marketing platforms offer this automatic follow-up feature.

Red Flag Reason #3: It’s A Waste of Your Money

Spending copious amounts of money on email lists filled with non-complicit contacts and incomplete details is a waste of your marketing dollars. Instead of buying an email list, spend more wisely on things that will  actually  improve your email marketing strategy and campaigns.

There are tons of resources available for those looking to boost their email marketing efforts. We suggest starting with Technology Therapy’s Marketing Momentum package—it’s designed for business owners who don’t want to guess when it comes to email marketing. Learn more about our Marketing Momentum package today!